Sunday 1 July 2018

Summer seasonal services

Each summer, several seasonal services reappear, making days out to beauty spots and tourist attractions accessible to those of us without a car.


Today, the South Downs Rambler, which last ran in 2015, starts again between Winchester and Petersfield. It's run by Bluestar and provides three return trips each Sunday and bank holiday until 2nd September. See the leaflet here.


One service not returning this year is the Beach Bus 99, which usually replaces the More 112 between Hythe and Lymington for the summer season. Bad news for anyone wanting to visit Beaulieu. But if Lepe Beach was your destination, then you're in luck because Bluestar 9 will have certain journeys extended beyond Langley to Lepe Beach between 22nd July and 1st September. See the special timetable here.


Bluestar/More's New Forest Tour gets going again from 7th July until 9th September. Open top buses will criss-cross the forest from Hythe, Ringwood and Lymington on the following circular routes:


More's Purbeck Breezer routes have already converted to summer mode with extra buses on routes running between Bournemouth, Poole, Sandbanks and Swanage.


Things are looking less rosy if you like shopping at Whiteley Village. The Saturday shopper service First W1 from Fareham has already been withdrawn and the W2 from Warsash will stop running after next Saturday 7th July. Anyone still wishing to get to Whiteley will need to use First 28/28A, but make sure you don't miss the last bus back.